✈️ The Journey Has Begun — 30 Days Into Our New Life of Travel.
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Wait...Is That Snow?
RootsTech may have brought us to Salt Lake City, but the city gave us a few unexpected memories of its own. From enjoying a refreshing snowfall and watching the ice skaters beneath the city lights to walking downtown and sampling local oxtails, jerk chicken, and pizza, we discovered how much fun the simple moments can be. It was a return to Utah for me, a first for Wayne, and the perfect cool-weather sendoff before hitting the road for our next adventure—Boise, Idaho!
REFLECTIONS & MILESTONESTRAVEL STORIES
Tamara Driver
10/2/20263 min read
There was one more thing Wayne and I would encounter while in Salt Lake City—the cool breeze, an ice-skating rink, and, ah yes...snow!
Just like that, we felt like we were kids again. We found ourselves outside enjoying the beautiful lights illuminating the public area near our Marriott hotel, with the ice-skating rink in the distance and snow falling around us. After living in Panama, where it sometimes feels like we only have two seasons—hot and hotter 😂—we happily soaked up every bit of that cool Utah air.
Who would have thought we would be so excited about snow?
⛸️ Just Enough Winter for Us
Now, we're not talking about a major snowstorm here. There wasn't a vast accumulation, and that's probably what made it so enjoyable. There was no need for the big winter coats, heavy gloves, scarves, snow shovels, or any of the other things that normally come along with winter weather. It was simply enough snow to make everything feel refreshing and remind us of seasons we hadn't experienced in a while.
And you know what? We loved it!
I guess snow becomes a whole lot more inviting when you don't have to shovel it, drive through it, or wake up early and go to work in it. 😂
🚶🏾♀️ Exploring Salt Lake City on Foot
Although we had a rental car, we really enjoyed not needing it all the time. Our location let us walk around the city and even to the RootsTech Conference. Stepping outside the hotel, feeling the cool air, seeing the lights, watching people enjoy the ice-skating rink, and simply strolling around made our time in Salt Lake City feel even more special.
Sometimes those simple moments between planned activities become some of our favorite travel memories.
🍽️ Following Our Stomachs Around Town
And, of course, walking around a city eventually leads us to another favorite activity—finding something good to eat!
While we sometimes eat at our hotel when traveling, we usually prefer to venture out and try local eateries. We like supporting local businesses, and quite frankly, we often think the food tastes better too! So, on two or three occasions, we did exactly that.
Wayne found us another local spot where I ordered—you guessed it—oxtails, while he went with the jerk chicken. 😂 The food was good, but I have to admit, it didn't quite measure up to the place we'd discovered in Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix was still holding onto that crown!
On another outing, we decided on pizza. Again, it was good, but not necessarily the best pizza we'd ever eaten. But you know what? That was okay.
Not every meal has to be the greatest we've ever had for us to enjoy the experience. Sometimes it's about getting out, walking through a new city, trying a neighborhood restaurant, and simply enjoying being together somewhere different. And none of it took away from how much we enjoyed Salt Lake City, Utah.
🏔️ A Return for Me, a First for Wayne
This wasn't technically my first time in Utah. I had traveled through Salt Lake City many years ago during a cross-country trip with my family. But this trip felt completely different. And for Wayne, this was another first—his first visit to the state of Utah!
Between RootsTech, walking around downtown, enjoying the winter weather, eating at local restaurants, and experiencing the city together, Salt Lake City gave us far more than we expected. Sometimes you visit a destination because of one particular event—in our case, RootsTech—and then discover that you enjoy the destination itself just as much.
❤️ Salt Lake City, You Treated Us Well
We never imagined that one of our Salt Lake City memories would involve us talking about how much we enjoyed seeing snow again. But here we are!
A little snow. A little cool air. Beautiful lights. An ice-skating rink. Local food. Plenty of walking. And another new state for Wayne. Sometimes that's all you need to create a wonderful travel memory.
Have you ever visited Salt Lake City, Utah? What did you think? And more importantly, did you find a local restaurant that we should have tried? We'd love to hear about it!
🥔 Next Stop...Boise, Idaho!
And just like that, it was time to say goodbye to Salt Lake City and continue our journey.
Next stop: Boise, Idaho!
And there was one very important question that needed answering...
Are those famous Idaho potatoes really everything they're cracked up to be? 🥔😂
Well, there was only one way for us to find out.
Come along with us as we head to Boise and share our first impressions!